In today's world of omnichannel retail, retailers face the added challenge of not only understanding their customer base, but also understanding how that customer base varies across channels. Who still shops at malls? How do those customers like to be reached? What drives their shopping behavior?
Buxton took a deeper dive into the data from three of America's most famous super regional shopping malls to unveil intriguing insights about the diverse customer base engaging in in-store shopping today. This examination of the data from America's super regional shopping malls not only offers insights but also provides a roadmap for brands aiming to meaningfully connect with their mall audience.
Here's what went into our study and how you can replicate it using your Buxton Platform tools.
Understanding the Landscape
Super regional malls, which generally boast more than 800,000 square feet of retail space, go beyond the offerings of traditional regional malls. They host a variety of tenants, from full-line department stores to mass merchants and fashion apparel outlets. To cater to a diverse audience, these malls provide an extensive assortment of products and experiences.
To unravel the mysteries of super regional mall shoppers, we turned to Buxton’s Shopping Center Insights report, a point-based SCOUT report that enables users to delve into visitor data for shopping centers across the U.S. Utilizing this report, let’s explore who is visiting three well-known super regional malls:
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Mall of America in Bloomington, MN
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King of Prussia Mall in Prussia, PA
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The Galleria in Houston, TX
We ran the Shopping Center Insights report for each of the above malls for the timeframe 1/1/2023 to 11/28/2023. Keep reading for a summary of what we found.
Beyond Mall Walkers: Who’s Visiting Major Malls?
Meet the Primary Core Customers
As we delved into the Mosaic USA segments of each mall’s visitors, it’s clear that the "Kids and Cabernet" and "Wired for Success" segments consistently show up as top visitors.
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The middle-aged, affluent "Kids and Cabernet" families navigate their shopping journey with a discerning eye for both quality and savings, seamlessly blending high-end and discount store experiences. On the other hand, the young and dynamic "Wired for Success" singles and couples are drawn to the thrill of impulsive shopping, expressing a penchant for designer fashion and a constant quest for variety and novelty.
Navigating Mall Shopper Mindscapes: Channels, Choices, and Connections
Using the Shopping Center Insights report, we also looked for marketing channel trends that can guide how you reach today’s super regional mall shoppers.
Shoppers at all three malls have a higher propensity for Mobile SMS and Digital News. Two of the three index high for Digital Display, while two of the three index high for Email.
The report also offers insights into the decision-making styles of our super-regional shoppers. In general, the in-store shoppers in our analysis tend to lean towards being savvy researchers.
Keeping a Pulse on Mall Shoppers
How You Can Get Started
The Shopping Center Insights report is a point-based SCOUT report that may be run from a point in the Points of Interest Retail Centers SCOUT layer. Here’s how:
1. View Retail Centers: The first step is visualizing the retail centers on the map. This layer is within the General Points of Interest.
- From the Buxton Data section on the left, select Points of Interest.
- Next, click Retail Centers. From here, you will be able to check the box to select the retail centers of interest.
2. Create Report: The second step is to create the report from the center(s) of your choice.
- Navigate to the retail center to evaluate; right-click the location to create report.
- Select the Shopping Center Insights report and submit the report.
3. View Report: The third step is to view the report.
- Select the reports tab on the top banner.
- Once you are in the Reports Menu, simply click view report to pull up the menu for the report.
- There are two options to view. You can either download the report or you may view it directly through SCOUT.
4. Learn About Core Customers: The last step is to dive into the segments to interpret your report results.
- Navigate to the User Settings option on the top right of the platform. Select Learn to click into the Segmentation Guide.
- From here, you will want to start by selecting Understand to dive into a particular segment or group.
By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate this information with your location data to make informed decisions about the suitability of a shopping center for your expansion and marketing strategies.
The Takeaway: Tailoring Strategies for Success
Our journey through America's super regional shopping malls unveils two primary personas—"Kids and Cabernet" families and "Wired for Success" singles and couples—who form the heartbeat of these shopping meccas.
Understanding these customers' unique characteristics provides insights for crafting tailored marketing and location strategies. In this omnichannel era, the Shopping Center Insights report is a powerful key for understanding and reaching in-store shoppers.
Watch our “Discover the Power of Shopping Center Insights” webinar recording to learn more about this report.
